From the Ashes
by international-wanderer
Summary: Meek,quiet, unseen..Bella lives in small town forks her only friends-the pack of cigarettes in her bag. She's not here to make friends, just to graduate and we'll go from there. Paul- loud,mean & larger than life but..from the other side of the tracks. After a series of events Paul takes notice of Bella, not who she is but who she could be and he's determined to find it. Will he?
1. six AM

_Summary: meek,quiet, unseen-bella lives in small town forks her only friends-the pack of cigarettes in her bag. She's not here to make friends, just to graduate and we'll go from there.  
Paul, loud, larger than life and from the other side of the tracks. After a series of events Paul takes notice of Bella, not who she is but who she could be and he's determined to find it. Will he? [angst, friendship, romance] **A/N i dont own anything**_

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Chapter 1: junior year

_Bella POV:_

I've been dreading this all summer, what kid doesn't? The start of the new school year, in a new town accompanied with new assholes-yay. I moved into Charlie's house in July after my mom flitted off with Phil, her new husband. I'm not mad, I cant be but that doesn't mean I'm too ecstatic to be in gloomy ass Forks, Washington. I'm pale enough and although the beaming sun in Arizona really did nothing to my complexion it definitely helped my mood and I doubt Forks can do that.

Anyway, I digress. Charlie isn't bad, I only remember him from my childhood but from what I gathered over the summer, I don't see him trying to be a super dad, he leaves me alone and I like that, and in turn I make sure he has dinner and a nice lunch for work. Being Chief of Police doesn't leave a lot of time for cooking with his hours. But anyway here I am, six thirty in the morning on my first Monday of junior year and of course-it's raining. But I think I'm done mulling over my mood, it's time to get ready and even though I don't have high hopes for this school it doesn't help the nervousness creep up on me, it's the first day after all.

I get out of my full sized bed and make my way over the closet, i'm not really sure what to wear but its not like I have a lot anyway so I grab my dark green long sleeve sweater, dark blue skinny jeans and my black beat up chucks and make my way over to the shower. Its a quick one, in and out. I dry off and get dressed looking in the mirror all the while doing so, I'm not a sight to see by any means, average weight, average height, average boobs, decent butt. But that's okay, I get dressed and brush out my brown hair till it falls in nice waves down to the middle of my back and stare at myself in the mirror, I look tired but healthy and on any other day that would be enough but it's the first day of junior year and i'm going to try. So i grab my old drugstore mascara and apply a few coats and apply some pink lip gloss, its not alot but its something and that's good enough for me.

I look at my watch and see its now seven am, I have twenty minutes to walk in and brave the storm that is public school, so with my head held high and the nervousness pushed to the back of my brain, I grab my backpack and my phone set out.

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A/N:** wow this looked way longer on Google Docs... I'm sorry its so short, i'll go ahead and upload the second chapter now lol**

**so this is my second time trying to write after a 4yr break..so I'm definitely going to be rusty but I ask that you bear with me. I'ts going to be a slow burn type of story with heavy detail on the characters and their relationships, I really want to take my time and hopefully by the end this might be a pretty cool read! please leave a review and let me know what you think, as of right now this is going to be rated T but may turn into M for situations. and the smoking lol please dont read this and think that smoking is cool or non harmful, this isnt to encourage any smoking but i wanted bella to have something different.**


	2. monday

Chapter 2- Monday

_Bella POV:_

I walk into the parking lot and stare at what is Forks High School, a big brown building with two floors, a rundown and thoroughly used football field to the left and a outside seating area for the cafeteria to the right with woods directly across the street as well as behind the parking lot. I have an extra ten minutes before the first bell so I sneak my way past the excited screaming girls, no doubt reuniting after summer break.

Good for them.

I sit behind the corner of the school, the slight rain making the ground damp but I barely feel it, I'm to concentrated on finding my cigarettes to get me through the day. After a few rushed seconds I find them and take my first drag, the nicotine whisking me away from the social hell I'm about to enter that is high school. My eyes are closed, head tilted up towards the ever gloomy sky when the most southern voice I've ever heard rips me from my happy place.

"You're a smoker? You know those are bad for you right?" the cowboy says, I'm assuming to me. I Keep my eyes closed and quip"No really? I had no idea, I must've missed the memo." I don't want to be bothered and Mr. Cowboy is ruining my me time. He laughs-_laughs_ at me! Like it was the best joke he's ever heard. Well whatever, I take the time to sneak a peek at him and damn if I wasn't right, this boy_-man_ embodies the word Cowboy. From the Faded blue jeans, worn brown cowboy boots, a fitted black tee and even his face-his face has the smallest hint of facial hair that oddly pulls together his whole look even his messy dirty blond hair looks good falling just to the middle of his neck and a piece falling front of his eye. He is cowboy and cowboy is him.

He's hot, I know it, he knows it and I know he knows I know it. And I instantly hate him for it. "Oh so now I'm a comedian? What, no lecture about my smoking?" I huff out. I don't know why I suddenly hate him- maybe it's cause he's attractive, maybe it's because he's laughing, or maybe it's because I just wanted to smoke alone and it's been ruined now. Remembering the half smoked cigarette I bring it back up to my mouth and take a nice long drag.

And fuck me if he doesn't pull one out and light his own, his eyes locking on me and pulling his own drag.

"No ma'am, no lecture from me. But I like you, you're a little spit fire arent ya?" he smiles down at me, blues eyes twinkling in what can only be described as complete and utter mischief. "So whats your name darlin'?"

"Spit fire huh?" I respond completely ignoring his question

"That's a new one. Seems fitting coming from a ole cowboy like you" it wasn't the best comeback but I'm losing it here, I wasn't expecting to have my first conversation before the first bell and here I am doing just that. We sit there in blissful silence and finish our cigarettes, finally getting the peace and quiet I was searching for. The bell rings and I stand up without a word and turn away from the cowboy and walk to the front of the school. Now a spring in my step since i had my small moment of quiet, I don't know if the cowboy followed me but I don't look back. I can do classes, I'm great with the academics of school just not the social aspect, but thats okay I'm excited to see how this class goes.

I'm all the way to the my first class when I hear the cowboy call out to me "The Name's Jasper Whitlock ma'am! I look forward to our next smoke break" and with my hand on the door I toss a look and a smirk over my shoulder and respond "You know those are bad for you right?"

I walk into the class and the door closes on the sound of the cowboys drifting laughter.

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**A/N: ok so i just uploaded them back to back since the first chapter was so short, Bella is kinda complicated it seems but I'm sure we'll get to the reason of that right? ;) Alsooo what do you think is going on with Jasper? friends or maybe something more? certainly he would've mentioned a girlfriend...right?**


	3. Lunch

Chapter 3: Lunch

_**Bella's POV:**_

If there was ever a battle ground in high school, the cafeteria was it. It's like choosing the wrong group is sudden death, or so that's how I feel about it. The cafeteria itself is alright. Pale blue walls, tile flooring and the back wall with glass double doors leading to the outside courtyard eating area. There's a long salad bar to the far right of the room and a main lunch line to the far left, in the middle littered different sized tables running from four seated to ten seated tables..all of which packed with kids chatting about, no doubt recapping their friends of their summer adventures.

Looking around I see some of the people I shared classes with but none of which were too friendly towards me, not that I particularly care but i would rather eat by myself than throw myself to the vultures so I won't be making the move to sit with them. However sitting in the middle of the room like he owned the place was the cowboy from this morning, he sat with four others- two girls and two boys. They sat there and ever so often I would notice that at one point or another everyone in the cafeteria would glance at them. Why? I mean, yes they're all attractive the males _and_ the females but they're nothing to stop people in their tracks..

Done with my people watching I grab my food from the salad line and decide that i'll take my food to the outside courtyard to have my lunch in peace. Walking along the right side of the cafeteria I make through the double doors out into the outside courtyard and find a table in the back corner, it's not super packed, probably because of the lack of sun but it's fine for me.

I'm done with my lunch and halfway through a smoke when someone drops into the seat next to me, look up and see it's none other than the cowboy from earlier-_Jasper_ was his name.

"Do you make it a habit of crashing people's smoke break?" I sigh out to him, not really in the mood to socialize but then again I rarely am.

"Ah, I see my lil' spit fire is still fiery, hows your first day of Forks treating you?" he asks. It's an innocent enough question that would've been totaly normal..if it wasn't for the fact that I never _told_ him that this is my first day here. Is this town really that small that they can spot the new girl immediately?

"It's school, not like I had high expectations to begin with…" I Shrug "How did you know it's my first day here?" I shoot out, asking my own question.

"We're a close town out here, plus-people talk. You're the Chief's daughter after all. So where are you from originally?" he says to me with a smile on his face. I ash my cigarette and turn to face him "Why are you talking to me? Seriously, I saw you sitting with a group with your own lunch table so why did you even come out here?" I ask for once, not trying to be sassy or off putting just genuinely curious. Maybe even a tad suspicious.

His eyes changed, the playful twinkle I saw earlier this morning now gone as he looks at me with what looks like pity or maybe sympathy.

I _hate_ pity. I didn't ask for it and I definitely don't need it, and if I'm wrong and it's actually sympathy-like he somehow can _relate _to me without even knowing me...well that's just unlikely.

"I know what it's like..moving to a new town, having to make new friends..a new life.." He drawls off looking away from me, his blue eyes looking back into the cafeteria and towards his friends.. and maybe I was wrong..maybe this cowboy knows a thing or two about what I'm going through, and it dawns on me that maybe I've been a little unfair to him.

"Anyway, like I said I know a thing or two about starting over and I thought you may need a friend, but if that's not the case then please know..I'm truly sorry for the interruption to your day Ma'am." He moves to get up and makes his way back inside towards the table of friends he has waiting for him and he's almost to the doors when I open my mouth.

"Wait." he stops right in front of the doors, his back towards me

"You never got my name.." he turns his head to look back at me over his shoulder, eyes raised expectantly.

"It's Bella, Isabella Swan.."

He tips he head to me with a half smile and the twinkle back in his eyes and says "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Isabella"

"Please" I cut in "it's just Bella"

He fully turns to me with a beaming smile and says "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Bella, if you want to eat by yourself tomorrow I won't intrude, but please know you're welcome to come by my table if you so please."

I smile and nod to him in thanks. Not really sure if i'll take him up on that offer but grateful nonetheless.

The bell rings and just like that I'm off to Gym Class.

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_**A/N: I don't own the characters just my imagination. **_

_**SN/: To the question of whether this is Paul x Bella or Bella x Jasper. the Summary is correct this is a Bella x Paul story however do want to introduce characters and get a sense of who Bella is before we bring Mr. Paul into the story :) **_

_**Also I never clarified-mainly cause I wasn't sure but this fic will be all human! I forgot to make Jasper's eyes that caramel color so were gonna rock the story Human style.**_

_**So again if you guys like it (or it could be better) please leave a review and tell me what you think!**_


	4. Gym

**A/N: i dont own anything**

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Chapter 4. Long Road Ahead

Gym was brutal to say the least, here I was trying to lay low and blend in...fly under the radar you know? Shaking my head I look at the doctor as he walks through the door and tells me what I already know..my ankle is sprained.

_**Earlier that day at Gym**_

_I shuffle into the locker room and take the locker in the back closest to the showers, everyone else is either already dressed or is just like me and rushing to make it on time. I should've been here earlier but I got lost, what school has two gymnasiums? Dropping my bag and quickly shedding my clothes I'm almost dressed when my locker door slams shut..only..I didn't shut it. Looking up I see someone who can only be described as a "Queen B" deliberately leaning against my locker so I can't reopen it even if I wanted to. Her long blonde hair tied into a high ponytail, tall curvy figure, piercing blue eyes and blood red lips and perfectly done, arched eyebrows. She could easily play the head cheerleader in a movie and pull off the look completely._

_I tug on the white tee shirt and blue shorts quickly and stand to my full height to look at her, she raises her eyebrows at me expectantly so I guess she wants me to speak first? Well alright._

"_Can I help you? That's my locker you're leaning against." She eyes me up and down, clearly assessing me but for what I don't know. I'm know threat to her in the beauty department, she's a full bombshell and I'm the girl next door, so why do I feel threatened by how she's looking at me?_

"_I can see why everyone's been talking about you, it's not hard to see really. So enjoy it, enjoy the attention, the new friends..enjoy all of it. But understand this Bella" she steps close to me, standing straight up directly in my face "Jasper is off limits. You can have anyone else or hell, have them all I don't care. But steer clear of Jasper Whitlock. You wont like what happens, Do we understand each other?" she sneers at me._

_I blink once, I blink twice. Completely confused, steer clear of Jasper? I just met the guy, and what does she mean by everyone's been talking about me? I have too many questions, but everything in me is telling me that this girl means what she says. But while I don't care for confrontation, I don't appreciate being threatened. So I take a deep breath and prepare to make what could be my first mistake of this year- taking on Queen B._

"_Listen, I don't know who you are but I just met Jasper, as in, earlier this morning. I have no romantic interests in him or anyone else for that matter so this whole "Queen B" "Mean Girl" routine you got going on is unnecessary. So if you'll please move? I need to put my stuff away" I huffed out. My heart is going a million miles a minute waiting for her response, to anyone else this is probably a two minute conversation, but to me? This has been going on for forever, how has the bell not rung to signal the start of class?_

_Very quickly though my attention is ripped from my inner thoughts and placed back on her because she throws her head back and laughs like..really laughs at me! She starts to walk away and right when she's shoulder to shoulder with me, she tilts her head and says "Understand this Bella, this is no routine. Stay away from Jasper, this is the only time I'll tell you."_

_And just like that she sashays away. I don't dwell on it for too long though, I reopen the locker to stuff my bag in it and then I turn and head out onto the track. Because what do we get to play today? Soccer._

_What could go wrong, it's not like I'm uncoordinated, lacking hand-eye coordination and have the stamina of an elderly woman. Yea Soccer is going to be just great._

**Back in the Hospital**

"Bella you said that you tripped over the ball is that correct?" Dr. Cullen asks me for what must be the sixth time, I can't be too mad though he's just being thorough.

Dr. Cullen seems to be a kind man and a competent doctor. He's been nothing but professional which is more than I can say for the parade of nurses in and out of my room for the past hour. They wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't so painfully obvious that they're intentions aren't exactly..._professional_. But Dr. Cullen either is a pro at avoiding the ladies or completely oblivious, I haven't determined which yet but it sure is fun watching it unfold.

I could see the attraction they have for him, he's tall-maybe five foot ten to five foot eleven. He has a head of golden locks that he cuts and styles into that 40's comb over look, combined with bright blue eyes and the hint of a five O' clock shadow coming in. Yea I can see the attraction, but he has not entertained any of it, remaining as polite and professional.

I smile ruefully and answer his question yet again "Yes Dr. Cullen, I tripped over the ball and fell. I'm not the best at sports, especially soccer." He looks at me, and back to his chart, and back to me with a confused smile on his face before he says "Yes I can see that, going off of your medical history here I see you've had quite a few injuries. Broken wrists, fractured arms, sprained ankle and now to add another sprained ankle to the list. Maybe consider swapping your Gym elective for something...calmer...is there an art program in your school?"

I huffed out a laugh and agree with him, honestly it's not that bad. I really wish the teacher didn't make such a big deal out of it, I could've came on my own..having the ambulance take me from Forks High to the hospital pretty much washed away my chances of flying under the radar.

I watch Dr. Cullen writing down notes and nodding to himself, he informs me that someone will need to take me home and he'll be calling Charlie to come and get me. I nod along, before he asks me once again if my fall was just an accident. And once again I tell him that it was.

I mean...what else can I say?

***Flashback to Gym***

_Stepping out onto the Soccer Field filled me with nothing but absolute dread, and as crazy as that may sound, I'm not even exaggerating. I dread sports, it never ends well. But nevertheless I step onto the field and line up next to the other girls and guys of the class. The Gym teacher steps in front of us to give the introduction and explain the rules of the game. He then splits us up and the game begins._

_During the game as per usual I kept myself to the back trotting along but never getting in the game. "Swan!" a voice calls out to me, I look on the sidelines and see the coach waving at me. I stop running and look at him, giving him my undivided attention "Swan! If you don't participate you will find yourself failing my class!" I hang my head in defeat and turn to throw myself into the game._

_It's the last ten minutes of the game and so far I managed to put in just to make sure I can continue to get a passing great but at the same time not too much to where it'll be expected of me. As the clock starts to dwindle down I see the blonde 'Queen B' girl running towards the goal with two other girls trailing her-trying to catch up but it's not looking likely. However I'm close enough to steal the ball, I deliberate for a moment thinking if I really want to try and take the ball, to others it's nothing more than a game but me and her both know this is just a continuation of the conversation in the locker room. Fuck it is what I think to myself as I start to run towards her, she sees me and smiles. Not a nice inviting one but one of malice and mischief. I get close and it looks like I have an opening, and in hindsight I should've known that that wasn't right, seeing how I have no idea of how to properly play this game-but nevertheless I stick my foot out and capture the ball. Victorious I turn and run in the opposite direction, clearing a good amount of distance before I'm shoved from the left side and I trip over...something._

_I fall and land on my side, and I immediately feel the pain shooting from my ankle up my leg and I can't help myself but to cry out in a surprised agony. But it seems as if I'm the only one who knows what's going on because as I'm laying on the ground I see the rest of the class carrying on with the game, not so much as a glance in my direction._

"_Stop! Stop the game!" I hear the coaches voice ring out and I look over my shoulder to see him in all his bald, heavyset glory running over to me and despite the lack of heat I can clearly see the strain this run is taking on him by how beet red his face is. I lay all the way down, staring at the sky just thinking about how I knew today was going to suck, and here I am..laying on the ground in pain with what probably is a sprained ankle. _

"_It'll be kinda hard to chase after Jasper now, don't you think?" A sassy, snarky voice calls out from my right, I turn my head and see none other than Queen B herself squatting down next to my head and I tried but I couldn't help it...I rolled my eyes at her and laughed. And even though I saw the surprise cross her face-I'm sure she thinks I'm crazy but I don't care. Did she purposefully trip me because of her thing about Jasper?_

"_You're laughing? Maybe that's why everyone talks about you, it's not your looks it's cause your crazy" she sneers, clearly trying to get under my skin but I'm so far past pissed that all I can do is laugh._

"_Did you seriously trip me? Over what? A boy? You're crazy, fucking delusional if you did this on purpose. I hope you know I'll be going to the nurse with this. I won't hide it." I stare defiantly her from my position on the ground. She just stares coolly down her nose into my eyes, and says "Right. Well. Good luck with that. You don't know who you're messing with little Swan."_

"_You're right! I don't know, who the hell are you anyway? Do you harass every new girl?" I sneer. I'm tired, tired of this game, of this school and everything in between. I'm over it, where the hell is the coach anyway? Is he still running? _

_The blonde looks up and something flashes in her eyes, what it is that I don't know, but as she stares ahead I hear the Coach's rough breathing and the clamoring of students steadily getting closer-and she hears it too. Hell she can probably see it._

_She stands up and looks at me, anger swirling in her blue eyes. "The name's Rosalie." she turns and struts off, no more and no less but somehow I feel as if she's daring me to say something. I don't have much time to think before the Coach reaches me and declares that the ambulance is already on the way and to stay put._

_Like I'm going anywhere anyway._

_*__**End FlashBack***_

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**A/N: so what do you think? is Rosalie a crazy gf? crazy ex gf? or maybe she's super protective of her family and isnt too keen on outsiders...**

**And i'll make a deal with you guys...five new reviews and i'll post a new chapter by this weekend. hows that sound? five new reviews dont matter if theyre good or bad as long as the bad is constructive!**

**also next chapter were finally gonna see the guy we've been waiting onnnn**


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